Joliet, IL Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Joliet, IL, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Waste burning
- Flatly prohibited, Sec. 8-288(c)
- Hazardous open burning
- Prohibited when smoke/odor makes it hazardous
- Enforcement authority
- Fire code official can order extinguishment
- Attendance rule
- Constantly attended, Sec. 8-288(f)
- Last amended
- Ord. No. 18216, 5-4-2021
- Fine range
- $150 to $750 per offense, Sec. 1-8
Summary
Joliet prohibits burning yard waste and other waste material outdoors entirely, and separately bans any open burning that turns hazardous from smoke, odor or local conditions: Sec. 8-288(a) and (c) let the fire code official order any such fire put out.
(a)Open burning that is considered offensive or objectionable due to smoke or odor emissions when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous shall be prohibited in the City of Joliet.(b)When open burning creates or adds to a hazardous situation, the fire code official is authorized to order the extinguishment of the open burning operation.(c)The open burning of any waste material (including yard waste) within the City of Joliet is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 200).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 8-288 of Joliet's fire prevention code sets two overlapping open-burning bans. " That waste-burning ban covers leaves, brush, trash and similar debris regardless of weather or smoke conditions, distinct from the recreational fire pit and bonfire allowance in subsection (d), which permits a contained backyard fire for warmth or recreation as long as it meets the 15-foot fire pit clearance or 50-foot bonfire clearance. Subsections (e) and (f) apply across all open burning covered by the section: it is unlawful to deliberately or negligently set or allow a fire that endangers people or property, and any outdoor fire, whether a permitted bonfire, a compliant fire pit, or an unlawful waste fire, must be constantly attended and never left burning unattended. The section was last amended by Ordinance No. 18216 on May 4, 2021.
Violations & Fines
Burning yard waste or trash outdoors, or letting any open fire become hazardous from smoke, odor or weather conditions, violates Sec. 8-288(a) or (c) and is punishable under the Code's general penalty in Sec. 1-8: a fine of $150.00 to $750.00 per offense, with the fire code official empowered to order the fire extinguished on the spot under Sec. 8-288(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn leaves or yard waste in Joliet?
What if my burning isn't waste, is it still restricted?
Who enforces Joliet's open burning ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Joliet
How Joliet compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Joliet to another location·View the Illinois fire regulations overview
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